Device for holding hogs



(No Model.)

P. AUTHIER.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING HUGS.

(Application filed June 23, 1897.)

Patented Aug. 9, I898 Illllillllll'lll O WWW/wow TERS co. PHDTOLITNQ. wnsuma'rom n. c.

WOMMZH Warren @TATES.

Parent Urrrcm PETER AUTHIER, OF JEFFERSON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING HOGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,632, dated August 9, 1898.

Serial No 641,960. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER AUTHIER, of J efferson, in the county of Union and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Holding Hogs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for holding hogs while rings are being placed in their noses, and has for its purpose to provide such a device in connection with a runway for the hog, by means of which the work of ringing them will be greatly facilitated.

My device is exceedingly simple as well as durable.

In the drawings herewith, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the runway used in connection with my improved device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the device for holding the head of the hog rigidly while being ringed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the manner of conlining a hog during the operation of ringing.

In the construction of my improved device I provide, first, a runway 1, consisting of bottom, side, and end portions of planking or strips constructed in the usual manner. In one of the side portions adjacent to the end I construct a hanging door 2 with a pivotcatch 3 for securing the said catch, operated in connection with a cleat 4. In the end of the runway 1 I provide a depending wall or end board 5, pivotally bolted to the upper transverse portion 6 of the runway, using an ordinary bolt 7 In one of the vertical edges of said depending portion 5 I provide a rectangular slot 8, which, in connection with the end of the runway, forms an aperture in which the neck of the hog is adapted to be securely retained. I next provide upon one end of the end edges of the runway in connection with one of the vertical standards thereof a lever 9, pivoted at its lower end to said standard by means of abolt 10. The upper end of said lever projects somewhat above the upper edge of the runway I next pro vide a bar or link 11, having one of its ends pivoted to the lower end of the lever 9 and having its opposite end pivoted to the de pending portion 5 in such manner that the operation of said lever will move the lower end of said portion 5 toward the opposite side of the runway, thus enlarging the aperture,

through. The flooring of the runway 1 at its outer end extends somewhat beyond the vertical sides thereof, and adjacent to the outer ends thereof I provide a transverse block 12,

secured upon the flooring, and upon the op posite side of the depending portion 5 I pro vide another transverse block 12, so that the lower end of the depending portion 5 will be securely maintained against being forced outwardly from the runway and permitting the hog to escape.

The operation of my device is as follows: Thev hog being admitted to the runway will immediately try to escape by passing his head through the slot 8. At the same instant the lever 9 will be moved inwardly, thus contracting the space by bringing said slot more adjacent to the wall of the runway, and to secure the lever in such position I provide a pin 13, adapted to be projected into an aperture in the transverse portion 6, so that the lever cannot move backwardly until the pin is re= moved, or I may provide other suitable means for retaining the lever in such position. The hogs neck being now firmly secured within the slot 8 the ring may be applied to the nose, after which the lever is released and the hog permitted to escape through the hanging door 2, the same being then raised for that purpose.

By the means as above set forth I provide a much better device for ringing hogs than by roping them or otherwise and one which ma be very quickly and cheaply constructed. My improved device may be constructed wholly of wood, except the bolts, although it is preferable that the arm should be, for the sake of increased strength, made of iron or other metal.

One of the advantages of the construction above described is that the operator may stand at the corner of the runway, so that the upper end of the catch 3 and the upper end of the lever 9 will be within convenient reach, By reason of the catch 3 being extended above the top edge of the door 2 it constitutes a le vcr whereby said door may be rocked upward 'so that the head of the hog can pass thereupon its pivotal connection with the runway, and after being brought to a substantially horizontal position the upper extremity of the lever may be rocked toward the end of the runway until the lever is engaged beneath the top cross-bar or transverse portion 6, thereby serving to sustain the laterally-opening gate in a horizontal position, so as to permit the animal to escape after being released from the depending wall or board 5.

The catch 3 and the lever 9 both extend vertically and their upper ends extend sufficiently high to enable them to be grasped by the hands of the operator and vibrated for the purpose above described. After the head of the animal has been caught in the board or wall 5 the operator may lift the gate 2 and engage the upper end of the catch 3 under the transverse bar 6, where it will remain, thus holding the door open. As soon as the ring has been inserted in the animals nose the lever 9 may be rocked, so as to release the animal from the board or wall 5, whereupon he may escape through the lateral doorway. It will thus be seen that both gates or doors are under immediate control of an operator standing at one corner of the runway.

The lever 9 is preferably pivoted near its lower end, thereby greatly increasing the leverage for holding the board or Wall 5 in binding engagement with the neck of the animal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by means of Letters Patent, is

The combination with a runway, of a laterally-opening door pivotally suspended from its upper edge, a keeper located below the bot tom or swinging edge of the door, and a catch extending vertically and secured to the outer side of the door, the lower end of said catch being designed to engage with the keeper, and the upper end thereof being extended above the top edge of the door where it may be grasped and used as a lever for opening the door, the said upper end of the catch being adapted to be swung laterally and engaged beneath a transverse horizontal bar at the end of the runway, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER AUTHIER.

WVitnesses:

LEONARD SoI-InErFnLs, NETTIE PINARD. 

